The Fillmore files
by pen wizard
Summary: When new officer Ace joins the X community police he's parnerted with Fillmore and Ingrid can he mesure up, or will Fillmore and Ingrid find out about the past that Ace would rather kept hidden. Ingrid/Fillmore pairing i don't own Fillmore just the plot
1. The first day

It was a normal day at X community police station. At lest that was what junior officer Ace dean had been told. As he looked around the chaos that was X community police station he noticed that the cell block was twice as big as the local school. After a while searching Ace finally found the right department for him. The detective department, Opening the door Ace found himself walking in to what could be a messiest and fun looking food fight. On one side of the room behind a load of up-turned tables Ace could see what looked like every female detective. While on the other side of the room hiding in the Jr commissioner office Ace could see the men all hiding and looking worried. It didn't take a geniuses to see that the girls where winning and the boys where about to give up. The food fight went on for just over half an hour before the boys admitted defeat, and the place was quickly put to rights.

All the time Ace stayed in the background. He didn't know how these people worked, so he had decided to wait till some one noticed him. 15 minutes later and Ace was still waiting for someone to notice him, when a young man whisked past. He paused and ginned at him. He looked about 25/26 he guessed. Light black hair fell in blue eyes. He looked fit and muscular as if he worked out a lot.

"Is this your first day?" he asked.

"Yea" Ace said

"I'm Joseph but every one calls me Anza" Anza held out a hand for Ace to shake and he did.

"I'm Ace" Anza nodded, drawing a stiff backed envelope from a pile of files he held.

"Don't worry about it Ace" Anza said cheerfully "you'll soon settle in to this mad house, oh could you do something for me?"

"I'll try" Ace said giving Anza a small smile.

"Thanks, can you find Kevin, and give him this letter, tell him it's the one he's been expecting from downtown."

Anza grinned then handed Ace the envelope. He gave Ace a quick pat on the back before heading out the room towards the elevators. Ace gazed after the officer for a few minutes before looking down at the envelope he now held. Looking back up Ace scanned the room. 'Why not, then I'll find the head' Ace thought, and with that Ace went in search of the officer called Kevin.

Commissioner Vallejo pressed a button on his phone. When it was answered he asked for Joseph to be sent to his office. When Vallejo put the phone down Ace frowned at him. "Your not going to give him a hard time are you? I wouldn't have told you if I'd known it would get him in to trouble" Ace said. The last thing Ace need today was to get any of the senior officers in trouble; it was hard enough settling in to a new place with out being given the cold shoulder at work cos you got a fellow officer in trouble on the first day. Vallejo was about to answer when there was a sharp knocking on the door.

"Come in" Vallejo called. Joseph Anza stepped into the room.

"You wanted to see me boss" he said. When he caught sight of Ace he smiled.

"Yes Joseph, I did" Vallejo's voice was filled with just held back anger. Which made Joseph winch. "I want to introduce you to Ace Dean"

"We've already met" Anza said brightly, before looking over at Ace. "You find Kevin alright"

"Sure no problem" Ace replied

"Ace is the new blood from the academy he'll be working with team Fillmore, so I want you to take him under your wing. You and Tehama can show him the ropes round here, and make sure he's filled in on how we do things and how the Fillmore's operate. I'll send him over in a few, make sure he's given a pass card and knows the door codes ok Anza." Anza nodded he knew he was in trouble. A note had gone round to everyone a few days ago saying some new kid on the fast track was coming to work here, so as soon as any saw a new face around they where to tell Vallejo. Anza nodded to Vallejo and turned on his heel ready to bolt for the door when he was dimissed. But as he was about to head to the door he heard Vallejo speak again.

" oh and by the way Anza" Vallejo said as Anza made for the door " next time you want to off-load your work on to someone else, so you can go and meet Tehama I suggest you check who they are first"

"I'm way ahead of you on that one boss" Anza said as he walked out the door and closed it behind him. Ace was sure he had seen a look of amused relief on Anza's face at his narrow escape.

On a Monday 2 months after Ace had arrived Cornelius Fillmore walked in to the main office with cups of coffee in his hands as well as carrying a couple of Burger king bags for the two of them. Ace sat at one of the desks.

"It's really weird having the whole place to ourselves like this" Ace said, looking around at the deserted workstations of control. "It's so quite" Apart from a few cleaners, Ace and Fillmore were virtually alone in the headquarters. Vallejo and nearly everyone else was at the mayor Folsom's birthday party, reinforcing the long planned security at the party.

Fillmore grinned at Ace as he placed the food and drink on the desk." Yea it's almost too quite" Fillmore said with a grin. Ace laughed.

"Yea a bit, I've got used to having people around me" Ace reached over and got himself one of the coffees and one of the burgers out of the bag. "I wonder how Ingrid's' getting on" Ingrid Fillmore was Cornelius Fillmore's wife and partner. They had been fast track trainees from the academy too.

They had also been friends and partners since middle school. Fillmore and Ingrid had been married for just over two years now. Ingrid was currently at the airport acting as Extra security in immigration control; the three of them where in direct radio link to each other, they where on what was called red listing for the night. This was a report of potential illegal visitors, produced by cross checking addresses, passport numbers and names against passport control databanks. Normally this process just needed two officers one at base to get the red list and one at the airport to pick up those who came in to the country illegally. But for tonight Ace had joined the Fillmore's so he could learn what to do.


	2. getting to know the Fillmores

It wasn't unusual for Ingrid to be out of the office; she spent most of her time with Fillmore on assignment, only coming in to control once or twice a week. When Ace had first arrived he had been surprised at the difference between Ingrid and Fillmore. Fillmore was constantly on the beat while Ingrid took things as they came. To begin with Ace had wondered how these two could work tougher as a team, but all too soon that had come clear with the help of a tape delivered to his home one night. There had been a note attached that had said to watch this in secret and when finished return to Joseph Anza. The video had been interviews and what looked like CCTV clips all made in to a movie about the two officers Ace had been paired with. It had basically told him all about his new partners and how to handle them.

Ace sank his chin into his fists as he watched Fillmore scrolling down the red list for the fifth consecutive hour.

"I wonder what's happening at the party?" he said "do you think there will be any problems?"

"I doubt it" Fillmore said "I think they've got it pretty much under wraps, and besides with Anza guarding the mayor I can pretty much promise that the party will go off with out a hitch"

"Yea" ace said after finishing the last of his burger "as long as Anza doesn't pull any tricks or pranks tonight, but I bet you wish you where over there instead of stuck in the office"

Fillmore just smiled at Ace. Fillmore had begun to like the newbie, Ace reminded him very much of himself back in middle school. Only caring about results rather than his friends and family; But after a year or so of working with him and Ingrid, Fillmore knew that Ace would be different. After all he and Ingrid weren't the best because they sat around all day.

After another 3 hours of working another officer arrived to take over for them. It was now midnight, and all Fillmore was planning was heading to the airport to pick up Ingrid then heading home and cuddling up with her in bed. Mean while Ace's plans where a bit different.

Ace pulled into the car park of his block of flats, and parked his truck. There where no lights on in any of the flats and the guard was doing his rounds. Ace stopped to talk to the guard before heading up to his flat. Once in Ace dumped all of his things on the sofa, and headed to his shower. Ace allowed the warm water to hit his tried body, the warm water washed away the stress of the days work and clamed Ace down. After he had washed and dried himself as well as getting changed in to his night cloths, Ace decided to settle down to watch telly for some time, when he heard a bang.

Ace jumped up and started to look round his flat, he didn't find any one but Ace was sure he hadn't had a bunch of flowers on his kitchen work top when he went to work that morning. Picking up the flowers Ace dumped them in the garbage shoot and decided to head to bed. Once everything was turned off and Ace was in bed he picked up the book that lay beside his bed. The title said '101 ways to win a woman's heart'.

The next afternoon Ace woke to the sound of his CD player going. Stammering out of bed Ace walked in to the front room to turn it off. When he arrived in the front room Ace could tell someone else had been in his flat. There was an empty coffee mug on the coffee table and a half eaten sandwich, not to mention the CD player was on. Ace was about to start tiding up when there was a knock at his door. Ace coarsely headed over to his front door. When he looked though the peep hole he was relived to see Ingrid and Cornelius on the other side, quick as he could Ace opened the door and pulled them in, before closing the door and double locking it.

"Hey what's going on Ace" Ingrid asked as Ace turned to face them. There was something different about him and Ingrid couldn't quite put her finger on it. Then it hit her, Ace was afraid of what she couldn't tell but he was quite clearly afraid of something, But what?


	3. She's down but is she out?

"Oh hey Ingrid, Cornelius I was just heading in to work" Ace said trying to calm him self down. Walking around the flat Ace quickly tidied up. He knew Ingrid and Cornelius followed him in to the living room and the kitchen but he tried not to pay any attention to them. He did however pay attention when both of them reminded him they weren't due to report in to work till the next day.

When he remembered this Ace laughed he had totally forgot about being given the day off. After a talk with Ingrid and Fillmore, Ace waved them off as they headed out for the day. They had arranged to meet Ace and the rest of the gang at a night club in the downtown area that night, so where going to be spending the day on their own. After Ingrid and Fillmore had gone Ace walked over to his bedroom to get dressed he had a busy day ahead of him.

Meanwhile Fillmore and Ingrid had decided to head home and have a lazy day to them self's. Fillmore and Ingrid lived with their friends and co-workers Karen Tehama, Joseph Anza and Danny O'Farrell. They had lived tougher ever since they had all finished school. Though they all had a feeling that Karen and Joseph where going to move out soon.

When they got home Ingrid and Fillmore headed upstairs where they got changed into their night clothes and while Ingrid sorted out the movies Fillmore got them each a hot drink and lots of snacks. When they where sorted Fillmore and Ingrid snuggled down in bed tougher and watched movies for the day. They had just finished watching Fillmore's favourite 'hot fuzz' when they noticed the time. They only had about an hour to get ready before they needed to head out if they where going to meet the guys on time. Ingrid and Fillmore quickly got ready, and with in ¾ of an hour they where on their way to the night club to meet the guys.

About 3 hours later Ingrid leant over the balcony, watching the coloured lights as they passed over her friends and husband below. The music hadn't stopped so far tonight. After dancing since she arrived Ingrid had told Fillmore she needed vodka and coke and a chance to catch her breath so she was heading up to the chill out lounge in the upper levels of the club. Fillmore had nodded and asked if she wanted him to come with. But she had told him to stay and enjoy him self. This was the first time in months they had all been able to meet up out side of work and have some fun. Usually they all worked different times so they hardly ever saw one another.

Leaving Fillmore on the dance floor having fun Ingrid headed off to relax. Ingrid took a drink from her glass, allowing one ice cube to slip into her mouth. While sucking on the ice cube Ingrid watched as Fillmore and the Joseph started being stupid. Ingrid's smile faded however when she saw another girl from their group called Lauren Sullivan. Lauren was about 34, small and slim. Not much was known about her as Lauren kept to herself. Ingrid watched as Lauren headed to the chill-out area. There was something about the way that Lauren was acting tonight that had got Ingrid worried. Lauren was acting almost as if she was high on something. But Lauren wouldn't take drugs would she. After all Lauren was one of the senior officers she should know better.

"Hey Ingrid"

"Hey Tara" Ingrid smiled at her friend.

"Isn't this great?" Tara said "there must be about two hundred people down there"

"At lest" Ingrid said with a smile. This club certainly was one of the more popular ones. There where teens, single people and Ingrid was sure she had seen a couple of drag queens in the line earlier. As Ingrid looked around she saw a boy who looked familiar.

"Do you know him" Ingrid said pointing to the guy she had noticed. Tara shrugged.

"No, never seen him before maybe he's a friend of Danny's" Tara said. Only last year Danny O'Farrell had revealed to the group that he was gay. When they had asked him why he hid that part of him from them, he had told them he was worried that they wouldn't like him any more because of it. But after a talk with the guys Danny's worriers had been erased. "Do you want me to go over and ask" Tara offered.

"I can do it myself thanks" Ingrid said with a laugh. "He is quite cute though"

The boy chose at that moment to suddenly turn and looking in Ingrid's and Tara's direction. Ingrid found herself looking straight in to eyes of the deepest dark brown. He smiled at her then stared walking over to them. Slightly embarrassed to of been caught staring at him, Ingrid smiled at him then turned away to look back at Fillmore dancing.

"He's coming over" said Tara "I think you might have scored Ingrid"

"Oh grow up Tara, I'm married remember" Ingrid said while laughing.

"Still no harm in getting his number" Tara said back "I'll leave you to it, but you have to report back to me later ok" and with that Tara disappeared into the crowds.

The boy circled the lounge and came to stand in front of her. He didn't speak at first. But when Ingrid was about to say hi, he turned to her and said "hey cutie how about you and me ditch this place and find some where quieter to go and get to know one another if you know what I mean."

Ingrid gave him a look of amused disbelief. "You have got to be kidding me" she said before turning back to watch the dancers. She felt the boy come and stand next to her.

"You know that sounded a lot better in my head" he admitted to her "so not interested?" he asked her. Instead of answering Ingrid held up her hand with her wedding ring on. The boy at her side let out a low whistle at the size of the gem in it.

"Err… sorry didn't know" he said when Ingrid pulled her hand back.

"That's ok" Ingrid said after taking another sip of her drink "I'm Ingrid" she told him.

"Ah I'm Daniel" he said "I noticed you- on the dance floor you're a great dancer"

"Thanks"

"Maybe you should take it up professionally" he suggested

"Nah got some thing better" Ingrid said shaking her head.

"What's that" he asked

"Oh I'm a police officer" Ingrid stated while waving down at Fillmore who had just turned her way. Fillmore made a motion to say that he was going out side for some air and Ingrid nodded.

"So where you from" Ingrid asked turning back to Daniel.

"Promise not to tell any one, but I'm sort of a drifter, I don't stay in one place to long" they chatted easily after that. Daniel asked her tons of questions about herself, and Ingrid gave polite answers back. Ingrid liked him, but something was telling her to be careful around him. He seemed a bit shifty to her. But he was cute so she decide to see if she still had the Ingrid charm, and see if she could get his number.

"would you like to swap phone numbers?" she asked when she finished her drink "I have a friend I think you might like" she took her phone out of her shoulder bag "do you have a cell on you?" he drew out a small slim lined phone, she took it from him and put her cell number in while he did the same to hers.

He had only just handed her back her phone when Ingrid felt some one fall into her. Ingrid was thrown against the railings.

"Sorry… sorry" the person said. When Ingrid looked it was Lauren. She was red in the face and seemed to be having trouble standing.

"Are you ok" Ingrid asked her, while taking her arm.

"I feel strange" Lauren said

"Maybe you should go and sit down outside for a little while" Ingrid said trying to lead Lauren over to the back door of the club.

"I want to go home" Lauren said as she nearly tripped over, luckily Ingrid was holding on to her at the time. Just then Lauren's legs buckled. As Lauren fell to the floor Ingrid saw Daniel catch Lauren's head and he helped Ingrid gently lay her down. Ingrid checked Lauren over. Her eyes where closed, her mouth hung open and Lauren had tons of sweat pouring off of her.

Remembering her first aid training Ingrid gently tapped Lauren on her cheek. "Lauren, Lauren can you hear me?"

There was no response. Ingrid looked over at Daniel who had moved next to her "call 911" she said " she's unconscious" people where gathering around them now, the music had stopped and Ingrid could hear her friends trying to get nearer. Ingrid lifted one of Lauren's eye lids and saw that the pupil was dilated. After checking Lauren's breathing and pulse, Ingrid put her in the recovery position.

The first of Ingrid's friends to reach her was Karen. "What happened" she asked.

"I don't know" Ingrid said " I thought there was something wrong with her earlier- but now she's completely out of it" Ingrid looked around for he rest of her friends she couldn't see them yet but she could tell they where getting close. Daniel was crouched down by her side. She felt him run a hand down her back. Before whispering in her ear, "I like you a lot I'm sorry about this" Ingrid turned to answer but Daniel was already leaving.

Just as Fillmore and the rest of the gang arrived so did a load of uniformed police officers. Ingrid looked up at them with hope in her eyes they would be able to call an ambulance and get it here fast. However when the police officer asked Ingrid to step away from Lauren, Ingrid knew they hadn't just turned up by chance.

"She's unconscious" Ingrid told them "we need to get her an ambulance as soon as possible"

One man knelt to check Lauren over while the other asked who Ingrid was.

"My name's Ingrid Fillmore I'm a detective with x community police"

The officer nodded as if this was what had had wanted her to say, "Would you mind turning out the contents of your bag, please Mrs Fillmore" he asked "now if possible"

Ingrid stared at him in surprise, before reaching into her shoulder bag. When she withdrew her hand she was confused. She was holding what was known to the police as dealer's bundle, a roll of twenty dollar bills. But what confused her was she didn't know whose money it was because it certainly wasn't hers. The officer took the money from, and in a daze Ingrid reached back into her bag and pulled out something that shocked her, she had pulled out a small plastic bag, it had twenty or so little pills in it. Each seemed to have a small skull printed on them.

The police officer took them from Ingrid and showed them to the other officer standing to his side. The other officer walked around Lauren and behind Ingrid. "Put your hands behind your back please" he said. Ingrid did as she was asked. The police man took her arms and started to cuff her all the while talking.

"I am arresting you for possession of a suspected class A drug. You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence"

Ingrid was too shocked to speak. She turned to look at Fillmore he had a look of disbelief on his face, which calmed Ingrid, for she knew Fillmore wouldn't believe she had been dealing drugs. As she was walked down to ground level and out to a waiting police car Ingrid couldn't help but think that this wasn't happening to her. This just couldn't be real.


	4. Is this the end for Ingrid?

2 hours later at headquarters the lift door opened and Ace stepped out. Ace hadn't been at the nightclub he had cancelled at the last minute. He had been woken up only an hour before by a call from Fillmore.

Ace nodded a quick greeting to Karen and Joseph, before heading over to Fillmore's work station. Fillmore was sitting in his chair with his feet on the desk- speaking into the phone. When Fillmore finished his call he put the phone down and looked up at Ace.

"Ingrid with drugs" Ace said incredulously "is some one having a laugh" Fillmore shook his head "they think she was dealing Ecstasy" he said "they found twenty of them on her and a wad of twenty dollar bills"

"No way" Ace said "this is crazy have you spoken to her yet"

"no not yet Vallejo is with her now, I'll be heading down as soon as your briefed, we're hoping they'll let her out on bail until we can find out for sure if they really are Ecstasy, but I've just spoken to the officer who made the arrest he's 90% sure that their Ecstasy, and I saw the money my self it sure looked like a dealer's bundle"

"This stinks" Ace said. Fillmore nodded "it sure does, but as far as the top dogs are concerned she was found in possession. End of. They have to play this by the book" Fillmore shook his head before standing up and putting on his jacket "this isn't just going to fade away, Ace. Ingrid could be in some serious trouble".

For Ingrid the few hours after her arrest where like a nightmare; the journey to the police station, the wait with Vallejo for Fillmore to arrive with the duty solicitor. The interview and breath test. Add to that the utter disbelief that this was really happening to her and was not just a night mare. Fillmore and Vallejo's unshakeable faith that she was innocent helped her get through the ordeal, but she still fell into bed when she got home. She was drained, exhausted and totally, totally confused.

Ingrid sat in bed with the others around her. Vallejo leant forward in his chair and asked "have you remembered anything that you didn't tell the interviewing officer? Something trivial, maybe; something that seemed totally ordinary at the time, but which might give us a clue."

"Think Ingrid" Ace said

"I am thinking" Ingrid said quietly before taking a sip of her tea. Fillmore frowned at Ace.

"Gently Ace"

"Sorry Ingrid" Ace said patting Ingrid's shoulder. "The last thing you need is to be badgered by us"

Ingrid shook her head "no it's fine Vallejo, Ace; I understand, but it's like I told them at the station. I had the bag with me the whole time, some one could of slipped it in there when I was dancing, I mean it was quite packed." Ingrid reached out and intertwined her fingers with Fillmore's. He hadn't left her side once since she had been released.

"I don't think anyone slipped them in while you where dancing Ingrid" Fillmore said "I was behind you the whole time till you went for a drink"

"Do you believe it could be that boy Daniel the one you where talking to?" Karen said walking in to the room with a glass of water and some aspirin for Ingrid. Ingrid took them from her with a grateful smile.

"I think it must have been. It would make sense of what he said; I mean Lauren was down; I was making sure she was ok, he was knelt beside me. He said 'I'm sorry- I really like you' then he was gone; if he wasn't doing something shady why would he say he was sorry" Ingrid looked around at the others then took the aspirin. She was trying to think of any other reason why Daniel would have said what he said.

" I don't know" Fillmore said "but I'll make sure it's one of the first questions he's asked once he's been tracked down" Fillmore squeezed Ingrid's hand, he wasn't about to let the love of his life go down for a drugs charge that was totally bogus.

"Don't worry Ingrid" Vallejo said standing up and putting his coat on. "We're going to pull out all the stops on this one or there will be hell to pay" Vallejo patted Ingrid on the shoulder then with the others he head out of Ingrid and Fillmore's room. Leaving Ingrid and Fillmore in peace to talk.

"I think maybe you should try to get some sleep, Ingrid" Fillmore said after closing the bedroom door. Ingrid gave him a half-smile; while she was tried she didn't know if she would be able to sleep.

"It has been quite a night" she said, wiping a hand across her soar eyes. She was close to tears from the stress. She looked at Fillmore. "Do you think that Vallejo will mind if I come in late tomorrow?" she asked while she lay down. She glanced over at her alarm clock "today I mean" it was gone half- five in the morning in the city behind their bedroom curtains the city was already starting to stir.

However the expression on Fillmore's face disturbed her. It was one of concern mixed with distress.

"What's wrong" she whispered.

"Listen Ingrid- there's no easy way to say this. But Vallejo has to suspend you from duties until this mess is cleared up"

"But I haven't done anything wrong" Ingrid reminded him.

"I know" Fillmore said as he slipped in to bed beside her. "But those are the rules. You're an officer in the American police, Ingrid. As such you have to aspire to the highest standards. We all do, any officer suspected of being involved in criminal activities has to be suspended while a full investigation is carried out. It's just the way things work. Vallejo can't bend the rules just for you"

Ingrid let out a sigh, before cuddling up to Fillmore." How long do these kind of investigations take" she asked

"don't worry about it right now, just remember the rest of us are going to work as hard as we can to clear your name ok" Fillmore said as he set his alarm to wake him in a few hours.

Half an hour later and Fillmore was asleep but Ingrid was yet to drift off. She lay in bed snuggled up to Fillmore, staring at the wall opposite. She felt the ground had been pulled out form under her. The previous evening she had got everything she ever wanted, friends, family, a good job and a wonderful husband. But now everything had changed. She was under suspicion of drug dealing, and was suspended from the job she loved. All the certainties that she had built her lives foundation on seemed to be crumbling around her.

It was a long time before exhaustion and the claming influence of Fillmore finally overwhelmed her and she fell into a shallow, fitful sleep.


	5. What next?

The next afternoon in headquarters Ace felt out of his depth. Vallejo stood at the head of the briefing room. Around Vallejo were gathered all the available detectives, with a select group of beat cops. Fillmore and Ace were sitting tougher, eager for news. Each officer had their own computer terminal and there was a large digital screen on the wall directly behind Vallejo. Briefings like this were routine, but the agenda had been changed to make one thing the most important: the arrest of Ingrid Fillmore.

"Is it possible that Ingrid's problem could be related to operation down and out?" asked Danny. "Maybe Ingrid and Cornelius were ruffling a few feathers and they've decided to play some dirty tricks on them to distract them or discredit them" Ace winched at he mention of operation down and out.

He had heard of this operation when Joseph was briefing him when he arrived. It was the latest operation to battle the drug's trade here in America; it targeted the manufactures and distributors of drugs. The operation had only been running a few years but had all ready given results.

"the pills found on Ingrid have been taken away for chemical analysis" said Karen "but the officer in charge of her arrest is convinced that they're the genuine article" all of the other detectives lent toward Karen waiting for her to continue, but it was Vallejo who started speaking.

"It turns out that the station received an anonymous phone call last night, recommending that they send a squad car over to the night club to pick up a drugs dealer who was working the club" his voice got lower "they were given Ingrid's name"

Fillmore and Ace looked at one another. A tip off which pointed the finger at Ingrid. If that wasn't a clue then they didn't know what was.

"The things we need to concentrate on are these" Vallejo said as he walked over to Fillmore and laid a hand on his old friends back. "Who made that call? And why was Ingrid targeted out of everyone there that night?"

While the briefing was breaking up, a dazed Ingrid was riding up in the station lift. She had managed to get a few hours sleep last night but she still felt dead on her feet. Ingrid had been surprised when she entered the station; she had expected that her colleagues would treat her differently. But they hadn't in fact they had acted as if nothing had happened.

The lift doors opened. Ingrid stepped out and walked toward the busy office which was like a second home to her and Fillmore. Ingrid walked straight to her desk; her plan was to be in and out as fast as possible. She didn't want any attention from her co-workers or Fillmore.

The only reason she was in was because there where a few things that couldn't wait until she returned- when ever that might be. Ingrid sat at her desk and booted up her laptop. Some urgent files had to be sent to other people in the station. Once that was done there was nothing left but for her to head home and wait for this nightmare to end. She just hopped that Fillmore and the gang could sort this out quickly.

The revelation that Ingrid had been specifically named as a suspected drugs dealer had changed the nature of the briefing. Now it looked as though someone was out to bring down the fast track officers.

"We can rule out the idea that this boy called Daniel acted randomly or dumped the drugs on Ingrid out of fear." Vallejo said as he, Fillmore and Ace walked in to Vallejo's office " she was definitely set up; Danny maybe right when he said that this was connected to operation down and out; therefore we should be concentrating our efforts on tracking down the big dealers- the big fish"

"Surely our number one priority should be clearing Ingrid?" Ace said. He couldn't believe that Fillmore and Vallejo weren't going to do everything they could to help Ingrid. She was Fillmore's wife for god's sake. "Has anyone been over to the club to talk to the staff? Do we have a list of the people who where there that night? Some one who was at that club last night must know this Daniel guy"

Fillmore's face was expressionless as he looked at Ace. "Those kinds of enquiries will be dealt with by the arresting officers. We'll be told as soon as they have any more information. In the meantime, we need to concentrate on our own jobs"

"And what happens to Ingrid?" Ace asked.

"she's been suspended" said Vallejo "she'll have to sit tight and wait for the enquiry to run it's course or until evidence clearers her, either way she'll just have to hold tight until then, just like any of us would" Ace stared at him.

"You're putting me on! Don't those guys know who she is? Can't you call in a few favours and make this thing go away?"

Fillmore got up and walked to the only window in Vallejo's small office and looked out of it at the people walking about below. "What are you suggesting Ace?" Fillmore asked "that we call up the deputy assistant commissioner of the city of x community and tell him to drop the case because Ingrid is my wife and Vallejo's second?"

Ace looked at Fillmore "uh…yea, kind of, I guess…"

"That's not an option, and you know it Ace" Vallejo shouted at Ace. Ace winched under Vallejo's and Fillmore's gaze.

"Ok… ok I understand I do, but this is Ingrid right, we have to do something to help her other wise what use are we to her?" Fillmore sighed and sat on the corner of Vallejo's desk. "Some one could go and speak to Lauren Sullivan" Fillmore suggested.

"As far as I know Lauren is still unconscious in hospital" aid Vallejo "when she's able to give a statement it will be taken by the arresting officer. Obviously I hope that she'll point the finger at this Daniel. Maybe she knows him, maybe she came in with him, maybe she can lead us to him" Vallejo paused and lent back in his chair "that's a lot of maybes, if Lauren just turns out to be someone who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, then the enquiry will be widened to include the nightclub staff and the other clubbers; but those enquiries will be run by a team from the ISI- not from here"

Vallejo turned to Fillmore and said "was Ingrid able to give them anything useful about Daniel"

"nothing that Ingrid hasn't already told you" Fillmore said turning once again to look out of the window, "she gave the officers at the station a description of his appearance- but that's about it, she didn't find out that much about him, they exchanged mobile numbers but we checked and the one Daniel gave her doesn't exist"

"Do we know where the call targeting Ingrid came from?" Ace asked

"It was made from a public phone in the east of x community" Vallejo told Ace "the caller was male, but it wasn't Daniel as he was already at the nightclub when the call was made"

"So he definitely had an accomplice" Fillmore said turning back to face Vallejo. This was something new that he hadn't been told last night.

"That's right" said Vallejo "and my guess is that the man who made the call is also the man who wants to set Ingrid up"

"That would make sense" Ace said "he sends Daniel out to do all the leg work while he keeps out of sight. Smart guy"

"Yea, but he's messed with the wrong officers. We need to find that man" Fillmore said picking up Vallejo's stress ball of his desk and squeezing it hard. "I've a feeling that if we get him, we also get the drugs dealers who gave them the pills" his voice lowered to an angry murmur "I plan on making that man sorry he ever chose to use Ingrid as a way of getting at us"

Ingrid transferred the final file. She sat gazing at her screen for a few moments before clicking to exit the computer. She was suddenly aware of someone standing behind her. She looked around it was Joseph.

"I've finished" Ingrid said dully "I'm just going to close down and then I'll be out of here". She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair "thanks for coming over but I'm fine really"

Joseph looked at her "I'm glad to hear it " he said "but I'm not here to see how you are Ingrid; I need your pass I'm sorry but it's…"

"oh-yes-sorry" Ingrid took out her police id card and handed it to Joseph "at lest I still know the security codes" Ingrid said with a weak smile.

Joseph shook his head "not any more you don't, Karen was asked to change them this morning" he slipped Ingrid's ID card into a plastic folder, squeezed her shoulder and muttered a quick sorry before walking away without another word. Ingrid sat at her desk. Stunned, the reality of her situation finally hit home. She had been locked out of control.

She was out in the cold.


	6. How can i help?

Mean while back in Vallejo's office Fillmore and Ace and the other detectives where getting their assignments. Vallejo was reading from an external report. "our colleagues upstairs have allowed us access to some of their files" he told his team " they make for interesting reading, over the past few years, their drugs swoops have netted plenty of people caught dealing drugs" he looked around the room. "All small fry, unfortunately – street peddlers, these aren't the people we need. We have to get to the suppliers' higher up the chain- the people who can lead us to where the drugs are being shipped in"

He pointed to a map of the south cost of America that was hanging on one of his walls. It was coved with red dots. "This shows where drugs have turned up in the past few years" said Vallejo "the pattern forms a circle and x community is right in the middle. The drugs are being shipped here- most likely to a warehouse; we need to close them down. Karen how many people can you put on the streets?"

"Half a dozen, if we drop everything" Karen said "I may be able to get another 10 if I pull a few strings"

"Do it" said Vallejo "operation down and out has just become our number one priority, these people have to be stopped if we want to clear Ingrid's name"

Anza lifted his hand as he spoke up "I've been working a guy down on Bloomsbury Avenue. A pusher called Harry Adams; he's been dropping hits about a big-time drug dealer who's just moved in. I've been playing it cool so far, but maybe I should heat him up and see if I can get anything good"

"Do it" said Vallejo as he stood up and walked over to the map. Something fishy was going on here at X, the likes of which no one had seen in years, and Vallejo was worried, if the investigation turned out to be a bust then not only would he lose half of the best team he had but most likely the mayor would shut down the whole team and transfer them all to traffic detail for the rest of their working lives.

Ingrid stepped out on to the paved forecourt of HQ. The streets where loud and busy, Cars, buses, anything with four wheels where driving up and down muchamore rd; Ingrid heaved her bag on to her shoulder. She had taken a few personal things from her desk. Her desk had looked strangely bare as she had walked away. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach that I was going to be a while before she sat there again, she also had a feeling that while she was suspended something big was going to go down at x community police station, she just didn't know what.

She walked towards the car park and her moped. Everything around her hummed with purpose and energy- places to go- people to see – work to be done. Ingrid stood in the middle of all this activity with a long, blank day stretching out ahead of her. She turned and looked up. The massive glass and concrete building of x police station reared above her. She felt as though she had left the focus of her life in there. Ingrid turned and walked slowly away from HQ, before she was swallowed by the crowd.

Vallejo's office had cleared. Vallejo pressed a key on his keyboard and his computer came out of standby mode. He sat there for a few moments, watching as his computer boot back up. His thoughts where interrupted by a sound from the doorway. Fillmore and Ace were standing there.

"Could we have a word boss?" Fillmore asked, Vallejo nodded, and they came back into the room.

"Ace and I have been talking it over" Fillmore said.

"Ingrid, Fillmore are a team, boss, their the best" Ace said "we have to get Ingrid off the hook"

"The thing is" Fillmore added "we think there's a better way for us to help Ingrid than just rounding up all the usual suspects and pumping them for info"

Vallejo eyed them. "You have a better plan I guess" he said.

"We need to talk to Lauren Sullivan," Ace replied. "Send us over to the hospital. We'll get her side of the story"

"She could lead us to Daniel", Fillmore added "Daniel will lead us to the man on the phone- and he'll lead us to the people who are behind all this. We'll be able to prove that Ingrid was set up and we'll blow the drugs factory out of the water all in one big hit." He looked at Vallejo. "What do you say- is it a go?"

Vallejo looked at them for a few moments. "Let me make this perfectly clear," he sighed. "The investigation into Ingrid's arrest is being pursued by officers of the ISI. There are no circumstances under which any agent of this command is to become involved. You are not to approach any potential witnesses- and you will not try to get a statement from Lauren Sullivan. Is that understood?"

"Yes boss" said Ace.

Vallejo stood up and walked past them. He paused and looked back. "I know you're just trying to help, but keep away from that hospital. And that's an order"

Fillmore lifted his hand to the side of his head in a kind of half-salute, "you got it Vallejo. The hospital is a no-go area"

The door closed behind Fillmore and Ace when they left.

Fillmore and Ace looked at one another.

Fillmore raised an eyebrow.

Ace nodded.

Message received and understood.


	7. A trip to the Hospital

Ace and Fillmore walked in through a set of wide revolving doors. The building was ultramodern- glass, modern art. The ground floor atrium soared up thirty meters, creating a huge space, filled with light and glowing with vibrant, shifting colours.

Ace was carrying a bunch of flowers in his arms and Fillmore had a fruit basket. They approached the curved reception desk. The young woman on the desk smiled enquiringly.

"A friend of ours was admitted last night," Fillmore said. "Lauren Sullivan. We don't know which ward she's in"

"Just a moment" the young woman tapped at a keyboard. "She's in Richard knight ward. 8th floor"

Fillmore plucked a white rose from the bunch that Ace was carrying. Smiling, he handed it to the young woman.

"Thank you" she laughed in surprise. But as she took the rose from Fillmore she noticed the wedding ring on Fillmore's hand. Feeling a bit down hearted she looked at them and said, "Go to lift bank D. that'll take you up to the ward"

They walked through into the towering, airy hospital. Escalators tracked up and down. A large chrome cube ran with glistening water. There was a huge red, yellow and green steel sculpture - the runner. A mobile of rainbow-coloured leaves fluttered down the full five floors from the transparent plastic roof.

"This place is more like an art gallery than a hospital" Ace said. "I hope they bring me here if I ever get ill!" they stepped into a gleaming metal lift. A few smooth moments later, the doors opened and they made their way to the ward.

"Notice anything else?" Fillmore said "it doesn't even smell like a hospital, and I should know what with the amount of times I've been in one" the ward had a reception area and doors leading to small side rooms. A man with cropped bleached hair was working at the desk. Fillmore explained the reason for their visit.

"Lauren" said the young man. He pointed, "We've put her in aside room. She's sleeping. We're not allowing any visitors at the moment" Ace looked at him

"Sleeping, not unconscious?"

"She came out of it in the middle of the night," said the bleach- haired man.

"The overdose wasn't as bad as was feared."

"So what happened when she got here" Fillmore asked

"We went into the usual emergency routine" the man said "we emptied out her stomach and aspirated her to get rid of any bit and pieces. Then we gave her some activated charcoal to mop up the remnants. She was out of it for a couple of hours after that. When she woke up she was disorientated and a little distressed, so we gave her a mild sedative"

"But she's in no danger?" asked Fillmore.

"The test results aren't back yet" said the man "we can't be sure what's going on until we've got a better idea of what she took". He smiled reassuringly. "The chances are we got to her in time. She was lucky"

"How soon is she likely to wake up?" Ace asked

"It could be any time now" said the man "you're welcome to wait" he gestured towards the doorway. "We're expecting her parents at any moment. They're driving down from a holiday in Scotland. Do you know them?"

"I'm afraid not," Ace said

"There are a couple of other people waiting already" the man said "you could sit with them"

"Friends?" Ace asked.

"I don't think so" said the man "police I think" Fillmore and ace exchanged a glance.

"We'll come back later." Fillmore said "could you give her these?" he placed the fruit basket on the desk. Ace laid the flowers alongside. The man nodded.

"Who shall I say their from?" he asked

"Tell here they're from her best mates'" said Fillmore. "She'll know who you mean." Ace glanced quickly into the waiting room as they left the ward. A man and a woman were sitting there reading magazines. ISI, definitely. The risk that they would be recognised by these officers was minimal, but the police presence at the hospital would make having a quite word with Lauren a little tricky.

"Now what?" Ace asked as they descended in the lift.

"Plan B" said Fillmore

"I didn't know there was a plan B"

Fillmore smiled, "there's always a plan B"

The police van was parked in a side street. From the outside, it looked like an ordinary white van- but it was packed with state of the art electronics. Fillmore disengaged the alarm and climbed in the back. He emerged seconds later. He stepped down on to the road and then sat down on the back of the van, opening his hand once seated. When Ace saw what was in Fillmore's hand he nodded. How he understood Fillmore's plan B. in Fillmore's hand was a small uhf transmitter.

"This little baby will pick up an ant fart at fifteen meters," Fillmore said "it'll transmit to the scanner. We'll be able to hear every word in that room, clear as crystal. We just sit back and wait for our friends from ISI to go in there and ask the questions" he grinned "job done and we haven't disobeyed orders"

"But how do we get it in there" Ace asked "maybe we should have hidden the bug in the fruit or the flowers"

"Too obvious," Fillmore replied "it's always possible the police would check for something like that"

"Got a better idea, we could simply dress up as regular hospital staff and hope for the best. I can act the part of a brilliant young neurosurgeon." Ace said looking at Fillmore "you can be a trainee nurse" Fillmore looked back at him.

"How about I'm the brilliant surgeon and you're my most challenging patient? that could work though but it's probably best if we keep it low key"

"We should look out for coats- that would make us look like orderlies or porters," Ace said, Fillmore nodded.

They re-entered the hospital, this time taking the escalator up to the ward. They avoided the main entrance, searching the corridors and hallways, moving purposefully, always keeping up the appearance of knowing exactly where they were going. They found a staff changing room and pulled on orderlies' coats. Then they discovered a back way on to the ward- a flight of stairs which led to a sun lounge where patients could sit and watch television.

"It's show time," Fillmore said. They walked on to Richard knight ward. A nurse approached them.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"The agency sent us," Fillmore replied. "We were told to come up here and make our self's useful."

"You can't just wander around," she said. "Go and speak to the ward sister. She'll assign you some duties."

"Thanks we'll do that" Fillmore said. Ace spotted a store room with an open door. He ducked inside and came out carrying a mop and bucket. They walked the length of the ward without anyone else questioning them.

The door to Laura's room was open and they where able to slip inside with out being noticed. There where 4 beds but only one was occupied. Laura was curled up on her side.

Ace stood close to the door- ready to stall anyone who wanted to come in. Fillmore moved quickly over to the bed. Laura looked pale but peaceful. He lent forward, peeling the tape off the adhesive on the back of the bug, intending to attach it under the metal frame near her head.

However he found himself looking in to a pair of deep brown eyes.

"Hi, Laura," he said "how's it going?"

Ace glanced around. Laura had woken up

"My head and stomach hurt" Laura murmured

"I think that's from them pumping you out, Laura" Fillmore said, he smiled "you must have had quite a night. Do you remember any of it?"

Laura turned on to her back. Fillmore rearranged her pillows. Ace quietly closed the door, but kept watch through the glass panel.

"I remember acting stupid," Laura murmured. "My mouth's all dry"

Fillmore poured her a cup of water from her bedside jug. She drank it slowly and with evident discomfort. "Do you know what made you ill?" Fillmore asked. Fillmore knew he didn't have much time. He glanced over at ace. Ace nodded- everything was ok **so far.**

"I took some pills," Laura said. She closed her eyes, "stupid thing to do. I've never done anything like that before."

Fillmore smiled "I guess you won't be doing it again any time soon"

"Not in a million years" she opened her eyes. She looked drained and weary. "I've been going through a bad break-up, and the guy who gave them to me said they'd just make me feel good. He said they where called Gems. He gave me six of them- he said they where really weak – that they would just give me a happy feeling you know?"

"Don't know, but I'll take your word for it" Fillmore said

"I thought they would be harmless," Laura said "otherwise he wouldn't of just handed them over like that." She swallowed some water with difficulty. "I thought what the heck and took all six"

Both Fillmore and ace winced "bad move" they said at the same time.

"Tell me about it" said Laura with tears starting to roll down her face, "my parents are going to go insane," she whispered. "I've done this sort of thing before and after the last time I promised I'd never do it again, now look at me"

"Don't worry about your mom" Fillmore said. "She'll be too relieved that you're ok to beat you up." He looked at her. "Did you know the guy who gave you the pills?"

Laura shook her head, "his name was Daniel. That's all I know. I remember he was talking with a black haired girl- I can't remember her name- but she's a friend of Karen's."

She obviously meant Ingrid. "Did you see him with anyone else" Fillmore pressed.

"Earlier on, before he came over to me, I saw him talking to the club Dj- Kallisto. Maybe she knows him" she closed her eyes again and sank deeper into her pillows. "I'm tired. I hope the police lock him up and throw away the key."

Fillmore straightened up. "I'll let you sleep Laura" he said. He touched her shoulder "you'll be fine but next time some guy offers you some pills at a night club…"

"Just say no" Laura interrupted with a weak smile. Don't worry, I've learn my lesson"

"Good, you could have ended up in a coma or worse" Fillmore reminded her. She nodded.

"Fillmore" ace said in a warning voice. Some one was coming. Fillmore pocketed the transmitter- he already had the information he needed. He walked to the door and the two of them slipped out. A man and a woman where walking toward them. They had strained and anxious faces. Laura's parents- straight from their desperate drive down from their holiday in Scotland. Fillmore and ace melted into the back ground.

"Right then" Fillmore said when they where back outside and in the van "next stop- Dj Kallisto."


End file.
